


Crateris

by Enchantable



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Healing, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Major Character Injury, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-23 06:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19145596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantable/pseuds/Enchantable
Summary: “I was coming to continue our fight,” Michael says, “dick move but—“Alex lets out a harsh laugh and rocks his head back against his shoulder, eyes shut. Michael frowns at how pale he is and the blue around his lips. He can’t decide if it’s from the drowning or the cold or both.“I’ve never been so happy you can’t let anything go,” Alex chokes out.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Original Prompt: Ok so I have this angsty prompt where Malex are having a big fight (some time after the finale) and then something happens that involves water and Alex is drowning and Michael saves him and uses his alien extra body heat to warm him up(skin to skin) and it gets intense. Those two idiots love each other so much and sometimes it takes one to be in danger for them to know what really matters. I fudging love your writing!

“Alex?”

Michael peers around the corner, listening for the thump of the music Alex prefers to listen to when he’s working out. Michael psychics himself up. He made some very valid points and the sight of Alex’s back muscles when he’s doing pull ups is not going to derail him.

“Come on, man, you can’t avoid me forever.” He frowns at the sound of the shower going, “Alex?” He calls into the bathroom. No answer. That’s not unusual. He figures he can wait. He glances around at the gym equipment, trying to judge how pissed off Alex is.

Something is wrong.

He can’t say why he feels that way, but a knot is in his stomach. Mostly because Alex is, god, he’s trying to meet him halfway in all this stuff but he hates it when Michael challenges him like this. Invading his personal space. Michael tries to respect that but sometimes they both fail completely. Alex staying in the shower and hiding is weird. Alex is not a fan of the vulnerability being in the shower exposes him to, he’s not a long showers kind of guy and this one is dragging. He also doesn’t lock the door. Michael jiggles the handle and finds it not budging. The knot is a boulder all of a sudden. To hell with caution, Michael puts his hand on the door and breaks the lock. It can be another thing they fight about. He crosses to the shower and opens the curtain. It’s empty.

He knows Alex is in the tub before he turns.

“Alex!”

He scrambles over. Alex is underwater and any passing glance would say there was one thing going on. But when he grabs Alex’s wrist, he feels the bones shift. Michael hauls him up, trying to support his neck. Alex is limp and naked against him, bleeding and broken and not breathing. The water is fucking freezing. How long has he been in here? Michael doesn’t care as he gets out of the tub, pulling Alex with him. He lays him on the floor and fumbles to get his fingers under his neck. There is a beat, it’s barely detectable though. And most importantly he’s not breathing. Michael pushes on his chest, then he tilts Alex’s head, pinches his nose and breathes for him.

“Alex, come on!” He says, pushing again before breathing for him, “Alex!”

Alex coughs.

Michael hauls him up, folding him over as Alex coughs up the bath water. He almost collapses against him as Alex sucks in a deep breath of air, then another. He coughs and spits up more water until he’s just coughing and then finally can take a deep breath on his own. Michael keeps an arm around him the whole time, his other hand rubbing circles on his back. Finally Alex turns towards him.

“Michael?”

“Yeah I’m here,” he says.

“How—“

“I was coming to continue our fight,” Michael says, “dick move but—“

Alex lets out a harsh laugh and rocks his head back against his shoulder, eyes shut. Michael frowns at how pale he is and the blue around his lips. He can’t decide if it’s from the drowning or the cold or both.

“I’ve never been so happy you can’t let anything go,” Alex chokes out, “I didn’t even see them.”

“Who?” Michael demands.

“Project Shepherd,” Alex says, “they broke in,” He cradles his wrist as he starts to shiver, blood trickling down his forearm, “they wanted to make it look like—“

“No,” Michael cuts him off, pressing his forehead to Alex’s cold shoulder, “come on.”

“I can’t move,” Alex says.

“Come on, ‘course you can,” He flings his power out and grabs Alex’s towel, wrapping it around him and putting his arm over his shoulder, “easy I got you.”

Alex leans into him. Michael grabs another towel, Alex’s prosthetic and gets Alex out of there and into the car. Everything else they can figure out when Alex is safe. He throws another towel over him and takes off. He dismisses the airstream because they might go there next and just focuses on driving them as far away as he can without putting them too far away so when he inevitably has to call Kyle or Liz they can get there. When they’ve reached that distance, he pulls over. He gets a towel wrapped Alex into the back and under the tarp. Moving supplies to Max’s pod means the thing is strung up now constantly. Thankfully his sleeping bag is in there too. Last thing to do is shuck off his wet clothes and climb in after.

“I almost went commando,” he says and pulls Alex firmly against him. Alex stiffens and then sags into his warmth with a soft sound, tucking his head against his collarbone, “lucky I decided to have an extra layer in case you were working out.”

“I was working out,” Alex says against his skin, “for two hours waiting for you.”

The rush of triumph collides painfully with the knowledge that Alex is cold and shivering against him. That he almost lost him. Michael finds himself trying to get as much of Alex into his arms as he possibly can. As if the warm rush of affection will help get his temperature up to normal. The shivering is a good sign, he reminds himself, though it can’t be comfortable for Alex and his broken wrist. Michael shoves aside his own desperation to have both his arms around Alex and instead he grabs one of the towels and rolls it up, cushioning Alex’s wrist. He uses his shirt to stabilize it around Alex’s neck. When Alex lifts his neck, Michael is relieved to see his lips aren’t nearly as blue before he wraps his arms back around Alex, using as much of his body heat as he can.

“No more seducing me into makeup sex with pull ups,” he says, “okay?”

Alex laughs around his teeth chattering, pressing his forehead firmly into Michael’s skin. Michael presses his lips fiercely to the top of his head.

“Is that what d-does it for you?” Alex asks and Michael feels him smirk against his skin, “I’ll remember that for next time w-when this heels.”

Michael feels his teeth knocking together and clutches him tighter, pressing his face into his wet hair. It feels like a lifetime ago he told Isobel he had nothing here but some old scrap metal. And okay that was a generous way to describe the airstream, but he’s painfully aware of just how much he has as it shivers against him. Alex takes a deep breath and blows it out steadily the hand that isn’t bound by Michael’s shirt rubbing along his ribs to stimulate the bloodflow. Michael tightens his arm around his back and carefully brings up Alex’s amputated leg so he can rub there. He wraps his feet around Alex’s remaining foot too, just to make sure nothing is forgotten. He remembers Liz proudly telling him Maria was her own hero and Michael realizes that maybe he has a type. Beyond people who like to show that inch of skin above their waistbands.

“I love you,” he blurts out.

Alex jerks back enough to stare at him, still fighting the shivering. Michael wants to wrap him up again but he knows he’s not getting off easy.

“That’s what I didn’t want to say,” he says, “I didn’t know how—“ but he realizes he just did, “I love you,” he repeats. How was he nervous to say this, now he doesn’t think he can stop, “god I love you so much—“

Alex crushes their mouths together. Michael can feel him fighting shivering. Kissing like this though, eventually Alex opens his lips and the chattering means their teeth knock together in something decidedly not sexy. Michael was dead set on making something perfect in their relationship, one thing done right. But after a near death experience orchestrated by Alex’s father and somehow winding up in his old truck on a sleeping bag he’s had since high school, he realizes that in their own weird way it kind of is. At the very least it’s very them and a far better conclusion to their last couple of moments like this.

“I love you too,” Alex reminds him, easily like it’s the most natural thing to say. Michael wondered how that was until he realizes it is. Easy to say, easy to feel—all of it, “sorry,” Alex says breaking eye contact and curling towards him.

“Oh, shit, yeah come back here,” Michael says, grabbing for him. Alex exhales and snuggles closer to him, “I got you.”

He feels Alex smile against his chest and tightens his arms around him, reveling in the best moment he’s ever had in the back of the truck.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original Prompt: Oh god now I can’t but ask for a follow up to that drowning prompt! Alex almost dying got us to finally hear Michael professing his feelings. Can in the follow up (if you’re welling to do it) we get Michael nursing Alex, delving in how he can’t comprehend a world without him, if Alex died without hearing how he feels for him, if he could cope his death, how Alex felt too maybe in his seconds of death his life flashed before him, the regrets of the time wasted not being together.wt matters most

Alex doesn’t even care that he’s back in the airstream.

He’s down two limbs now, between the missing leg and his broken wrist. Those are going to be more inconveniencing things long term. He isn’t showing signs of secondary drowning or dry drowning, but he’s got a list of symptoms to look out for. Other than that he’s just sore from almost fucking dying. Sure he knows logically that saying he tripped in the bath has a lot fewer follow up questions than my father’s shadowy rogue government agency tried to murder me. But the wound to his pride stings. Pride is almost all he has left at this point, considering he doesn’t know when he’ll be able to go back to his cabin. Thank god Michael thought to grab his prosthetic. Thank god for Michael in general, he thinks, as he hobbles up the steps leaning on him. Michael gets him over to the bed.

“I never thought I would be so glad to see this bed and have all my clothes on at the same time,” he says.

“Well, technically, those are my clothes,” Michael points out.

Alex snags his sleeve before he can go away. His muscles are shot but he still manages to bring Michael close and get them both on the bed, snuggling back up against him. He imagines that baths are not going to be a thing in his life for a bit. But curling into Michael’s warmth makes him think he can probably get by. Michael immediately wraps one arm around him and slides the other under his neck. Alex makes a noise of pure relief and for the second time in a day he thinks nothing of curling into Michael’s warmth. Since their fight two days ago, it’s been the longest they’ve been apart since becoming a thing again. He knows that the issue is once again communicating, that it’s something they have to work at, but he still is amazed at hearing Michael say those words. He knows Michael loves him, but for them it’s the difference between knowing something is true and being able to say it. Michael wraps him in his arms and Alex knows there’s no place in the world he would rather be. Knows it in his bones.

“You are my favorite person,” he says into Michael’s shirt.

“You’re just cold,” Michael says.

“I’m not cold right now,” Alex refutes.

“If you are we should go back to the hospital,” Alex groans in protest, “I’m guessing that’s a no?”

“I’m never leaving right here.” Alex tells him, completely meaning it in this moment.

“So we’re just gonna stay here forever?” Michael asks and Alex nods, unable to think of anything better. Michael shifts and wiggles so he’s partially underneath him and Alex is more or less on top of him. Michael wraps his arms around him, one hand sliding under his shirt and the other finding the nape of his neck. Those spots are sorest from how he was slammed into the tub and Alex relaxes into the heat as Michael presses against his skin, “here?” He rocks his hand, hitting close to the knot, “okay hang on.”

He wants to snatch Michael back but Michael’s already sitting up, helping him take the shirt off before letting him lay down, flat on his stomach. Alex decides not to voice how fine he is with just laying on him. Not when he sees the determined set of Michael’s jaw. Michael presses his hands against the nape of his neck. Alex sighs as he finds the knot again, pressing gently. The heat from his body is still completely wonderful and Alex locks down the desire to cuddle so Michael can help. Despite saving his life in the very literal sense of the word, he knows Michael doesn’t feel it. The heat shifts lower but the pressure stays and gently rolls across and around the knot. When it goes he groans and everything freezes.

“Okay?”

“God, yes,” he says, “keep going.”

Michael resumes, working his way down his spine. Alex decides that even if he wants to get over his sudden dislike of baths, he never needs to use them for sore muscles again. Michael flattens his hands against his ribs. It’s a miracle that Michael didn’t break more pumping the water out of him, but he still warms every bruise. Alex turns his head to look at him. Michael is intent on making him feel better but Alex is getting decent at knowing when his limits have approached.

“Thank you,” he says, “come back here.”

Maybe it’s his voice, maybe it’s everything else but Michael’s power retreats with minimal complaining on his end and he seems almost glad to come back to lay with Alex wrapped up in his arms. Alex sighs against his shoulder as he tucks his head in, letting Michael’s hand flatten against the soreness. He’s lucky they didn’t hold him down by his neck. Lucky that the water was cold—he focuses on all the little lucky things that lined up to bring him back into the circle of Michael’s arms.

“Are you okay?” He asks, not looking up so Michael can have some semblance of privacy and not turn away.

“I was fucking scared,” Michael says, “I waited out there.”

“How did you know I was in trouble?”

“You hate showering for too long,” Michael says.

Alex laughs in surprise. Michael pulls back enough to shoot him a questioning look.

“So my leg saved helped you save my life?” He says. Michael considers it for a moment and then grins.

“Yeah I guess so,” he says.

“Huh,” Alex is surprised, “I never saw that one coming.”

“What? Me saving your life or your leg helping out?”

“The leg, definitely. You’ve saved my life plenty of times.”

Michael blushes and scoots closer. Alex goes back to his spot on his chest, proud of him for not immediately denying. This is a side of their relationship they haven’t really delved into. Not that everything is sunshine and rainbows but the things that make them vulnerable are decidedly slower to come. Of course his father, orchestrator of all things evil and inconvenient, has to push them there. But instead of running in opposite directions, they are wrapped in each other.

“What is it with my dad and hands?” He asks aloud, “he went for your hand, they broke my wrist—“ he sighs, “I think he’s got a kink.”

“Alex, I love you, but please don’t use your dad and kink in the same sentence ever again,” Michael groans.

Alex zeros in on one part of the sentence, unable to stop the smile he knows Michael can feel.

“You know I knew, right?” He says, “that you love me. I knew.”

“Yeah,” Michael says, guilt swimming in his eyes, “but if you’d died and I didn’t say it—“

“That wouldn’t have mattered,” Alex promises him, “I would have known.”

Michael presses his forehead against his, bringing them to the same level and Alex keeps his eyes open. He uses his thumb to brush aside the tear that breaks free when Michael squeezes his eyes shut. Michael leans against his hand gently, mindful of the cast. It occurs to Alex that this isn’t the first time Michael’s gone to bed in this place worked up because of him. But this is the first time that he’s been here with him. They can’t change the past but they can do better and Alex refuses to consider wasting that chance.

“What about we don’t go to bed angry?” He says. Michael opens his eyes, “whatever the fight, we check in on each other. Same day. It doesn’t mean we have to resolve everything but we can know we’re safe.”

Michael considers it and then scoots closer.

“What if we move in together instead?”

Surprise floods him but Michael looks at him steadily. The fingers on his back flex in nervousness, but Michael doesn’t look away. Alex swallows, still stunned. They love each other, they can say that. He needs a place to live. He knows that moving in can be stressful on couples but, hell, his dad has now tried to kill them both so how bad can it possibly be. He’s nodding before he presses his lips to his, emotion finally overcoming the shock of what’s happened. They’re both laughing and crying and the only thing Alex can say for sure is that it’s very wet and probably not great when it comes to his cast.

“Yes,” He says, “that sounds like a way better idea.”


End file.
